NBM Dive Site Resource
SM UC-51 — Start Point
Offshore from Start Point, Devon, United Kingdom
Bill Reid and Innes McCartney surveyed this WWI minelayer off Start Point in 2000. The dive and wartime loss records support the identification as SM UC-51.
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Featured Hero Photograph
Aquatic life at this dive site
What divers may encounter
Three reviewed connections are featured here. Sightings vary by season, conditions, and chance, so they are never guaranteed.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
Aquatic life research in progress
NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.
Site media
Photographs
Three views rotate from the published gallery on each visit.
Contributor media
Dive videos
Three featured video positions are reserved on every profile.Regional location and nearby land
Location map
Start Point and the surrounding waters provide orientation for the documented wreck. Current access is unverified.Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Recent field observations
Diver-reported temperatures
Automatically checked observations from dives during the past 14 days. Three reports are visible at a time; scroll for more.A report that passes the automatic checks will appear here with the dive date, diver’s display name, and temperatures at each depth.
Reports are automatically checked for plausible dates, depths, and temperatures. They are observations, not forecasts; confirm conditions before diving.
Why divers know this place
Highlights
Bill Reid recognized the wreck as a submarine in July 2000. He and Innes McCartney surveyed it on August 16. The hull was a UC II minelayer, and the archival loss evidence matched UC-51.
Shipwreck-only module
The wreck
This section appears only on shipwreck records and brings the vessel, its loss, present condition, access, and responsible wreck-diving considerations into one place.
- Vessel type
- Type UC II submarine
- Year built
- 1916 (launched)
- Year sunk
- 1917
- Cause of loss
- Sank after striking a British mine on November 17, 1917, off Start Point, Devon.
- Present condition
- The 2000 survey documented a largely intact hull with mines still in the chutes. The stern appeared damaged. Present condition is unverified.
Before you arrive
Access notes
Wreck research. Current access unverified. The map shows the surrounding region.
Plan within your training
Conditions and hazards
Depth, offshore conditions, and mines documented during the survey. Current conditions are unverified.
Independent resource notice
This record is a starting point for independent verification. Access, closures, moorings, weather, currents, depth, visibility, operator availability, and site conditions can change without notice. Confirm current information with the responsible operator, property owner, managing authority, or another qualified local source before planning or attempting a dive.